A few days ago, one of my Facebook posts went viral—at least by my not-so-lofty standards of social media reach (88 shares is roughly 85 more than my previous record). When I first noticed my post was attracting an audience, it felt like I’d downed half a dozen shots of Southern Comfort. My insides felt warm, and I was kind of giddy. But it didn’t take long before queasiness set in, and by the next day I felt the dull fog of a hangover.

For all the hours I’ve spent drafting and re-draftin...